Electrolytes made from liquefied gas enable batteries to run at ultra-low temperatures

Engineers have developed new electrolytes that enable lithium batteries to run at temperatures as low as -60 degrees Celsius with excellent performance — in comparison, today’s lithium-ion batteries stop working at -20 degrees Celsius. The new electrolytes also enable electrochemical capacitors to run as cold as -80 degrees Celsius — their current limit is -40 degrees Celsius.